Baseball teams make dreams come true by drafting paralysed players

When drafting baseball players, most are selected for their speed, agility or stregnth.

But for the Astros and the Rangers, their choice of team mate was more about making someone's day.

For both teams chose players this week that were left partially paralysed by recent accidents.

Dream come true: Georgia baseball player Jonathan Taylor broke his neck in March but was chosen for the Rangers' supplemental-round pick on Monday

Jonathan Taylor - who broke his neck in March during a game when he collided with one of his team mates - was chosen for the Rangers' supplemental-round pick on Monday.

Star: Buddy Lamothe was included in the draft for the Houston Astros after he was partially paralysed

Kip Fagg, the Rangers' director of amateur scouting, said the team's selection of Taylor was 'something we felt was right'.

Seven rounds later, on Wednesday, the Astros made a symbolic choice of their own.

Buddy Lamothe - who was injured last month during a diving accident in San Marcos when he was white water rafting - was selected in the fortieth round.

Assistant general manager and director of scouting Bobby Heck said: 'Area scout Rusty Pendergrass turned
him in and said, "Hey, listen, this is a kid from a local school, and if
we get to a point in the Draft to make someone's day, let's do it."

'From an organizational standpoint, hopefully the Astros can make
somebody feel better. It puts a lot of what we do in perspective.'

San Jacinto director of communications
and sports information director Amanda Booren told MLB that Lamothe has spent
most of his time since the accident at Brackenridge Hospital in Austin,
Texas.

She said thathe could arrive at TIRR
Memorial Hermann in Houston as soon as Wednesday, which is the same rehabilitation centre Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords attended.

San Jacinto baseball coach Tom Arrington
said it was heart-warming and admirable to see the Astros reach out and
select Lamothe with the pick.

He said: 'It's a hard situation, and this is one that's very dear to my heart.'

He added that much is unknown right now
regarding the future health of Lamothe, but he has faith the Vermont
native will continue to get better.